Written Assembly Questions tabled on 20 December 2013 for answer on 2 January 2014
R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.
W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.
(Self identifying Question no. shown in brackets)
To ask the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty
Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Minister provide an update on the progress of the £1.9m of funding, announced in June 2013, to support credit union expansion in Wales, and a date from which individual credit unions will be able to obtain funding? (WAQ66177)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Jeff Cuthbert): I will make an announcement on this funding shortly.
To ask the Minister for Culture and Sport
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state how many times along its length, the Wales Coastal Path a) deviates from the actual line of the Welsh coast; and b) has remaining gaps which could be filled without the need for a Creation Order? (WAQ66162)
Answer received for publication on 06 January 2014
The Minister for Culture and Sport (John Griffiths): The Wales Coast Path follows the Welsh coastline. However, there may be areas where there are unavoidable digressions from the coastline, for example where there are environmental or logistical reasons. There are no gaps in the route, though local authorities continue to make improvements to the Path, including its alignment. Any decisions over where to apply creation orders would be for the relevant local authorities to make.
To ask the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Will the Minister be issuing individual performance targets for each enterprise zone, and what formal expectation has been placed on enterprise zone boards to meet these targets? (WAQ66166)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport (Edwina Hart): The figures for individual Enterprise Zones will be aggregated into the overall figure as in the KPIs recently published.
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Will the Minister detail the total expected proportion of the investment target which the Minister expects to be met by the private sector? (WAQ66167)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Edwina Hart: The investment target to be met by the private sector is determined on a project by project basis following an in depth appraisal of individual project proposals received.
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): What rationale underpinned the decision not to have specific targets for new jobs created and if such a target does exist for 2014/15 will the Minister disclose it? (WAQ66168)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Edwina Hart: The target for new jobs created is included in the first KPI in the recently published document, which can be accessed through the following link: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/help/enterprisezones/?lang=en
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Will the Minister provide a definition for the term ‘jobs assisted’, including a detailed explanation of what jobs will be recorded as having been assisted by enterprise zone status? (WAQ66169)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Edwina Hart: The definition for jobs assisted is the gross number of jobs created by businesses in receipt of less intensive forms of assistance from Welsh Government. For the purposes of this indicator the definition of ‘job’ is consistent with that used generally for the ‘gross jobs created’ indicator.
This indicator measures the impact of our support where we have assisted the business in creating the jobs, perhaps more quickly, more easily or with less risk than would otherwise have been the case.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to the Welsh Government’s recently published key performance indicators for enterprise zones, will the Minister detail the proportion of the investment target which the Minister expects to be delivered by the private sector and the proportion expected to be delivered by the public sector? (WAQ66178)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Edwina Hart: The investment target to be met by the private sector is determined on a project by project basis following an in depth appraisal of individual project proposals received.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): With reference to the Welsh Government’s recently published key performance indicators for enterprise zones, will the Minister provide a definition for the term ‘jobs assisted’, including a detailed explanation of what jobs will be recorded as having been assisted by enterprise zone status? (WAQ66179)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Edwina Hart: The definition for jobs assisted is the gross number of jobs created by businesses in receipt of less intensive forms of assistance from Welsh Government. For the purposes of this indicator the definition of ‘job’ is consistent with that used generally for the ‘gross jobs created’ indicator.
This indicator measures the impact of our support where we have assisted the business in creating the jobs, perhaps more quickly, more easily or with less risk than would otherwise have been the case.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Given the previous refusal by the Planning Inspectorate for permission to trunk the A48 at Culverhouse Cross, will the Minister outline what new conditions now exist to allow for the Welsh Government to override the previous decision? (WAQ66180)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Edwina Hart: Proposals are being developed to improve access and trunk route from Culverhouse Cross to St Athan and Cardiff Airport Enterprise Zone building on previous work and consultations. This work reflects the position of the previous administration in 2007 and was outlined in my statement in July 2013.
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills
Nick Ramsay (Monmouth): Given that the Welsh Government set targets for sports participation in secondary schools in their Climbing Higher document, what percentage of pupils have achieved their target of taking part in sport or physical activity for 60 minutes, five times a week? (WAQ66165)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
The Minister for Education and Skills (Huw Lewis): The most recently available data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey (2009/10), which covers young people in school years 7-11, suggests that just over two in five secondary schools students report being active for an hour or more at least five days a week. However, it should be noted that that this data should be treated with caution since physical activity is difficult to measure and relies on self-reported data. Data for 2013/14 is currently being collected and should be available in summer 2014.
The Schools and Physical Activity Task and Finish Group was convened in June 2012 to look at the role of schools in increasing levels of physical activity in children and young people.
The Group’s report was subsequently published on 24 June 2013 and my officials are considering the report in the light of the wider curriculum review. The report’s primary recommendation ‘Making physical education a core subject within the school curriculum in Wales’ will be considered as part of the second phase of the review of assessment and the National Curriculum, which I announced on 22 October. I will make available further details on this in due course.
To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of the Meningitis B Vaccine Bexsero on the NHS in Wales? (WAQ66160)
Answer received for publication on 6 January 2014
The Minister for Health and Social Services (Mark Drakeford): The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published an interim statement on 24 July 2013 outlining its analysis of the potential use of a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine in the UK, both routinely and in at risk groups, and sought comment and feedback from stakeholders to inform further deliberations.
On 25 October 2013 the Committee published an updated statement which said that feedback following the July statement required further detailed work and analyses before a decision could be made.
Welsh Government has previously accepted the expert advice from JCVI on matters of immunisation developments and will continue to do so in this instance.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on the waiting times for dexa scans for patients with osteoporosis? (WAQ66161)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Mark Drakeford: This information is not held centrally.
Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): What is the Welsh Government guidance on the number of staff it takes to safely operate an ambulance? (WAQ66174)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Mark Drakeford: There is no Welsh Government guidance in relation to staffing levels for operation of ambulances. The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust is operationally responsible for delivering ambulance services. The Trust utilises a single member of staff for a Rapid Response Vehicle, or two members of staff for an ambulance.
Darren Millar (Clwyd West): Will the Minister make a statement on the availability of Selective Internal Radiation Therapy for NHS patients in Wales? (WAQ66175)
Answer received for publication on 3 January 2014
Mark Drakeford: Whilst SIRT is not routinely available on the NHS in Wales, we intend to be part of the new Commissioning through Evaluation programme, together with the NHS in England.
To ask the Minister for Natural Resources and Food
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state on what evidence he made the decision to transfer 15% of funds from Pillar 1 to Pillar 2? (WAQ66170)
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister state which representations from organisations he took into account when making a decision to transfer 15% of funds from Pillar 1 to Pillar 2? (WAQ66171)
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): At what time on December 18th 2013, and in what manner, did the Minister make the announcement that he will be transferring 15% from Pillar 1 to Pillar 2, and will the Minister provide the transcript of this announcement? (WAQ66172)
Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales): Will the Minister explain why the announcement of the transfer of 15% of funds from Pillar 1 to Pillar 2 was not made available to Members prior to his 'tweet' at 14.30 on 18th December 2013? (WAQ66173)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014 (WAQ66170-173)
The Minister for Natural Resources and Food (Alun Davies): I will respond fully on all these matters during my oral statement to the National Assembly on 14 January 2014.
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): Will the Minister provide the number of on-farm reactors who have, after slaughter, provided a positive test result for Bovine TB giving figures for each of the last three years? (WAQ66163)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Alun Davies: The information you have requested is published in the Bovine TB Annual Surveillance Reports which can be found at:
Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central): When moving identified TB reactors, how long is it taking the Animal Health Service to remove for slaughter from the farm, giving the average time for each of the last three years? (WAQ66164)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Alun Davies: Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency are required to remove 89.5% of reactors from breakdown herds within ten working days of disclosure. We have no evidence to indicate that this target is not being met.
William Powell (Mid and West Wales): Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government proposals to implement EU Regulation 1099/2009 – Protection of Animals at Time of Killing? (WAQ66176)
Answer received for publication on 02 January 2014
Alun Davies: I intend bringing forward these Regulations early this year in line with the rest of the UK.